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What is Euthanasia?

08 April 2019

Euthanasia is the intentional killing of a human being, whether it be by the physician or through assisting the person to commit suicide. It's important to note that euthanasia is not refusing treatment, ceasing treatment for a terminally ill or critically injured person, nor unintentionally hastening death by administering strong pain relief such as morphine to a terminally ill person.

Euthanasia advocates give the false impression that terminally ill patients have to suffer excruciating pain and dreadful agony. This is simply not the case with the advanced palliative care available today in Australia.

The misnomer “assisted dying” attempts to obscure the fact we are talking about killing. Terms like "Dying with Dignity" the euthanasia lobby often calls itself in Australia is highly deceptive, inferring that is it dignified to legalise killing and that a natural death is somehow undignified. Euthanasia signals that that the value of life is determined by ability and health, and diminishes when those things are compromised, this dangerous philosophy is simply not true. Legalising euthanasia would also be counter-productive to combating Australia's suicide epidemic.

Those who experience isolation and depression most are at highest risk of ideas of suicide, euthanasia exposes these already vulnerable people to further risks and feelings of worthlessness. Euthanasia is also open to terrible abuse, the vulnerable elderly and the disabled are at risk of coercion and feeling like they are a "burden", it also damages the trust between doctor and patient.

Queensland is very under-resourced when it comes to palliative care specialists and aged care facilities. This is what the government should be addressing, not looking at ways to kill people. What Queenslanders need is care, not killing - which is exactly what euthanasia is.